Massive theme parks aren’t exactly known for their stellar food. Unless, of course, you count pretzels, churros, and sugary drinks as stellar (Which I do.) But Disney World has its hidden culinary gems. Mixed in with the fried food from little carts are some really wonderful places to eat. We strolled over to Canada in Epcot for dinner on our first night to check out Le Cellier, a classic Canadian steak house. But with the heat and humidity combined with a lot more walking to do (We had to ride ALL THE RIDES) little sounded less appealing than a big steak.
Luckily, Le Cellier is a lot more than steak. Specifically, they have poutine. Never heard of poutine? Before you finish this post, drop everything and Google “Poutine in *your city*” and go eat there. Then, after you experience the magnificence that is cheese and gravy topped fries, you can come back and hear more about this meal.
We were lucky to attend Disney World during the annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, where blooming topiaries take over the park. You’ll be greeted by Daisy Duck as soon as you walk in, where you’ll also find gardens of herbs, and even a little Huey, Dewey, and Louie behind her.
As you make your way to the World Showcase and around the globe, you’ll pass Belle and the Beast in France.
And then you’ll arrive at Canada, where you’re greeted by stunning flowers, a gorgeous chateau, and if you’re lucky, a little bunny hopping around the flowers, too. The one we spotted was a bit too quick for my camera.
The interior of the restaurant resembles a large wine cellar. It’s dimly lit, surprisingly quiet for a Disney restaurant, and quite small.
They have a wonderful wine and beer menu, full of native Canadian brews and bubbles. I opted for the beer flight, which included Éphémère, Blanche de Chambly, and Trois Pistoles.
These ranged from dark and hoppy to light and fruity. Even if you aren’t a beer drinker, the Éphémère is so tart and sweet that you can smell the apple as soon as the flight is set in front of you. It’s really delicious.
Now after the drinks, it was on to the main event – the poutine. We tried two. The first was the Le Cellier Signature Poutine, which is crispy fries topped with Canadian Cheddar, Black Truffle, and a Red Wine Reduction.
I’m a sucker for anything with a red wine reduction, so I LOVED these. And the fries were piping hot and perfect.
We also got the French Onion Poutine, which comes topped with Gruyère Cheese, Caramelized Onions, and French Onion Gravy.
Equally as delicious.
For mains, my party all opted for salads and soups instead of a steak. These were all incredible, but I’d love to plan a little nicer dinner and splurge on a steak next time. With how amazing everything else was, I have full confidence the steak will be amazing too.
A few of us got the Romaine Salad, which is dressed with a black truffle vinaigrette and crunchy brioche croutons.
My brother got the Snow Crab and Pear Salad, which was a really pretty presentation. It had Asian pears, salted cucumber, and shredded phyllo for crunch. It was dressed with a rich maple vinaigrette for a really nice sweet and salty combo.
Onto the best part of the main course – the soup. It’s apparently a favorite on the menu, and I can see why. I’m really not a big soup eater (particularly in 75 degree Florida weather) but if the waiter says something is a must-have, I must have it.
This cheesy soup is filled with smokey bacon and infused with the complex flavors of a good Moosehead beer. Pro tip: Ask for more of the pretzel bread they bring out at the beginning to dunk in your soup. It’s the perfect combination.
After dinner, we stopped for dessert in Italy – gelato of course.
And for a little after dinner drink in Morocco, this delicious little champagne and pomegranate delight called the Dessert Rose.
Altogether, Le Cellier really surpassed any expectations I had for theme park food. If you make a trip to Disney World, save a day in the middle to casually stroll through Epcot and take it all in. With just a few day trip, we really had to rush through to see everything, and I didn’t get to try everything in the World Showcase I would have liked to. There are little carts in every country with a signature drink, and a perfect day for me would be drinking my way around the world.
Until next time, Disney!
1 Comment
Great!